In memory of Paducah teacher and Murray State alumna Fredricka Hargrove, the annual Fredricka Hargrove-MLK Jr. Essay Contest is open to all K through 12 students in Paducah and McCracken County. The contest serves as a chance for students and teachers to celebrate the life, work, and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.
The prompts for this year's essay included the life and legacy of Medgar Evers for middle school students and Rosa Parks for elementary school students. Winners will be recognized at a special celebration on Sunday, January 15th, at Paducah Middle School. This event is free to attend.
WKMS has partnered with the Paducah-McCracken County NAACP to bring you the following recordings of students reading their first-place essays.
Poster Contest
K-3rd Grade Division 1st Place Winner
Ellie Burpro, Concord Elementary
(winning poster pictured above)
2nd Place: Elli Johnston, Concord Elementary School
3rd Place: Owen Sims, Concord Elementary School
Essay Contest
4th & 5th Grade Division 1st Place Winner
Wesley Gagnon, Lone Oak Intermediate School
Listen to Wesley Gagnon's essay, "The Fights for Rights"
2nd Place: Sophie Clark, Lone Oak Intermediate School
3rd Place: Jackson, Faubion, Lone Oak Intermediate School
6th Grade Division 1st Place Winner
Brooklyn Spresser, Heath Middle School
Listen to Brooklyn Spresser's first-place essay below.
2nd Place: Maddie Brown, Lone Oak Middle School
3rd Place: Emma Beardall, Heath Middle School
7th Grade Division 1st Place Winner
Sebastian Hernandez, Heath Middle School
Listen to Sebastian Hernandez's first-place essay below.
2nd Place: Audrey Walker, Paducah Middle School
3rd Place: Theo Durfee, Paducah Middle School
8th Grade Division 1st Place Winner
Brennen Hartman, Heath Middle School
Listen to Brennen Hartman's first-place essay, "The Role Model."
2nd Place: Grey Vessels, Heath Middle School
3rd Place: Kamorah Hartman, Paducah Middle School
The Paducah-McCracken County NAACP also announced the winners of the CSI/NAACP Scholarship. This scholarship, in partnership with CSI, is for any senior within McCracken County. The scholarship prioritizes students who are either first-generation college students or a minority.
Winners of this scholarship are invited to attend our MLK Luncheon at Paducah Tilghman Auditorium on January 16th at 11:30 am. There are four scholarships given: one overall winner will receive $1,500, and the remaining three will each receive $500. The winners are as follows:
1st Place: Coy Booker, Paducah Tilghman High School
Runners Up:
Justice Campbell, Paducah Tilghman High School
MaKayla Loving, McCracken County High School
Esley Cornelius, McCracken County High School
Kylee Quinby, McCracken County High School
